Chapter 20
Sam was all sympathy and understanding when Jenna turned up for work, but she quickly told him that was the last thing she needed.
‘I just want to get on with things,’ she explained. ‘Take my mind off it all. I’m hoping it’s really busy tonight.’
‘Well,’ he said, immediately taking his cue from her and becoming brisk and businesslike, ‘you’re in luck then, because Callum’s rung in sick so you’ll be waitressing. Is that all right?’
‘Perfect,’ she said. An evening rushing backwards and forwards between the bar and the kitchen would do the trick. With Kenny issuing demands and orders rolling in, there’d be no opportunity to wallow or wonder. It couldn’t have worked out better, although she hoped Callum was okay.
The pub was heaving. It was Friday night, and many of the people who owned caravans at Tide’s Reach had turned up in Kelsea Sands for the weekend.
Although there was a clubhouse on the site, there had been general rumblings lately that the site’s owner, Gavin – Stella’s former husband – had let things go to pot.
There’d been no entertainment in place this season, and a distinct lack of atmosphere had sent most of the caravan owners to The North Star in search of livelier surroundings and good food.
It was ironic, Sam told Jenna glumly, that Tide’s Reach was winding down just as the pub had gone up for sale.
‘We should be thinking about putting entertainment on here,’ he said, as they met briefly in the passage outside the kitchen. ‘This place used to have all sorts going on, and the caravan owners are crying out for it. If Dad had been staying…’
But he wasn’t, was he? Jenna gave Sam a sympathetic look and squeezed his arm, before hurrying off to deliver two bowls of strawberry trifle to table twelve.
‘Hiya, Jenna love,’ said a voice over her shoulder after she’d safely served the desserts to eager and thankful customers.
Jenna turned to see Stella standing behind her, smiling a little awkwardly.
Jenna smiled back but wondered what Mac’s sister was doing in The North Star alone.
Her mum had told her, in confidence, that Stella had developed a bit of a drinking problem, and had been attending AA meetings in town.
Jenna hoped she wouldn’t have to police Stella’s actions that evening.
She didn’t feel she had the right to tell a grown woman what she could and couldn’t drink and wondered briefly if she should call Mac to warn him.
Before she said anything, though, Stella leaned closer and said quietly, ‘I don’t suppose there’s any chance of Seb coming down tonight? I really fancied a chat with him.’
Relief quickly faded as Jenna realised there was little chance of Seb appearing in the bar.
‘I’ll have a word with Sam,’ she said and hurried off to find him.
He was busy dealing with a queue, and she waited patiently, casting occasional nervous looks towards the kitchen passageway and hoping Kenny wasn’t waiting for her.
When the last customer was finally served, she whispered, ‘Stella’s here. She wants to chat to your dad. Is she okay to go upstairs, do you think?’
Sam hesitated, clearly unsure. Then he straightened suddenly and nodded. ‘Yeah, why not? Send her up, Jenna. If he’s got anything to say, he’ll say it to me, not her. Besides, it might do him good.’
Jenna beckoned a pensive-looking Stella over and informed her that she was to go on up to the flat. Stella beamed at her and did as she was told, and Jenna headed back to the kitchen with a smile on her face.
She knew from her mum that Stella was lonely since Gavin had divorced her, and both her children were busy with work – one in Wales and the other up the coast at Puffin Point. It would do both Stella and Seb good if they could deepen their friendship and keep each other company.
It turned out to be a family evening, because half an hour later, Mum, Mac, Uncle Christopher and Aunt Elaine turned up.
‘What are you doing here?’ Jenna asked, astonished. ‘It’s nine o’clock!’
‘We’ve been having a quiet evening watching television and having supper together,’ Alison explained.
‘Then we thought, why not end the night with a drink at the pub? After all, the twins aren’t there, and having watched the most boring film in the history of filmmaking, we figured we deserved a bit of an escape.
We did ask your grandma and grandad, but they’re already tucked up in bed watching a DVD.
’ She gave Jenna a kindly look. ‘How’s it going? ’
‘Absolutely fine,’ Jenna said, even though she’d inwardly winced at the mention of her daughters. ‘Very busy, though. I’ve barely stopped, which has been a blessing, to be honest.’
‘That’s good,’ Uncle Christopher said. He looked around approvingly. ‘I can see The North Star is popular tonight. Are there any spare tables?’
‘I’ll find you one,’ Jenna said. She scanned the room and spotted a group of people getting up to leave.
‘There! Right-hand side. Go and sit down and I’ll be along in a minute to wipe and clear the table.
Oh!’ She turned to Mac. ‘Stella’s here. Don’t worry,’ she added quickly, ‘she came to see Seb. She’s upstairs in the flat. ’
Mac grinned. ‘Is she now? Well, that’s nice for them both, isn’t it?’
Jenna laughed and shook her head. ‘I’m sure they’re just friends. Anyway, I’ll go and get a cloth.’
Having cleared and cleaned the table, Jenna headed back to the kitchen to collect more orders. Her feet were aching and even her back was starting to hurt, but there was food and drink to deliver and no rest for the wicked.
‘Have you even had a break tonight?’ Sam asked, as she passed the bar counter, having just served desserts to a group of six in the dining room.
‘Not yet.’
‘Thought not. Right, go and sit down. Join your family for fifteen minutes. Have a drink. I’ll be getting sued at this rate.’
‘Are you sure?’ she asked doubtfully. ‘We’re still busy.’
‘Not your problem for the next quarter of an hour. Go. I’ll let Kenny know.’
Relieved, Jenna went to sit with her mum and the rest of the family, who greeted her warmly.
‘This is just like the old days,’ Uncle Christopher said, looking around wistfully. ‘Do you remember, Elaine? It used to be like this every weekend, what with the singers and the comedians who used to play here, and the shanty nights, and the pub quizzes.’
‘Sam was just saying that if things were different, his dad would be looking into bringing entertainment back here,’ said Jenna. ‘Apparently, the clubhouse at Tide’s Reach – Time and Tide, isn’t it? – isn’t what it used to be.’
‘So our Rosie told us,’ Aunt Elaine said. ‘That Gavin’s lost interest, that’s why.’
‘He’s concentrating on the hotel and park at Puffin Point,’ Mac explained. ‘I suppose Time and Tide’s loss is The North Star’s gain.’
‘If the place wasn’t up for sale,’ Uncle Christopher pointed out. ‘It seems very short-sighted of Seb, I must say. And a crying shame, too. There have been members of the Hughes family running this pub since it was first built. It’s the end of an era.’
‘Talking of Seb…’ Mum nodded towards the bar, and they all watched as Seb took his place behind it, while Stella perched on a stool in front.
Jenna saw the look of astoundment on Sam’s face.
‘What,’ said Mac in surprise, ‘is that all about?’
‘Looks like Stella’s persuaded him to give bar work another go,’ Mum said, delighted.
‘Either that or he’s so desperate to escape her, even working in the pub is preferable to another minute alone with her,’ Aunt Elaine said, before remembering that Mac was Stella’s brother and blushing furiously. ‘Only joking,’ she said hastily.
Mac nobly didn’t rise to the bait. ‘Either way,’ he said, ‘it’s got to be a hopeful sign, hasn’t it?’
‘I wouldn’t get your hopes up just yet,’ Uncle Christopher advised. ‘Pouring a glass of lemonade for his friend isn’t the same as taking the pub over again, is it?’
They all watched as Seb did just that and handed Stella the glass.
‘I’d better be getting back to work,’ Jenna said with a sigh.
‘Ooh, and try to find out what’s going on,’ Aunt Elaine said eagerly.
Jenna managed not to roll her eyes and headed back towards the bar, where Sam was talking to his dad and seemed quite surprised about something.
‘But are you sure?’ he asked, and his dad nodded.
‘Of course I am. I’m perfectly capable of running this place alone for fifteen minutes. Go on. Take a break.’
Jenna gave Sam a sideways glance as she walked back towards the kitchen. A few moments later, he joined her in there.
‘Can you believe this?’ he asked. ‘Dad’s just come downstairs, as if nothing’s happened at all in the last three years, and told me he’ll stay for the rest of the shift. He’s just said I should go on my break because I look knackered.’
‘To be fair,’ Jenna said, ‘you do. But what’s brought him back to the bar again?’
‘I have no idea,’ Sam admitted. ‘I can only assume it’s something to do with Stella. Whatever it is, I’m glad of it. It will do him good to get out of the flat, and besides, you’re right, I’m shattered. I’m ready for a strong coffee. Do you want one?’
Jenna opened her mouth but had no chance to reply, as Kenny snapped, ‘No she bloody doesn’t. She’s been missing for fifteen minutes, and I’ve got orders building up. Jenna, two chocolate cheesecakes and two cappuccinos to table twenty. Now!’